The Order of Saint Benedict

The Rule of Benedict

An index to texts on-line
and gateway to

RB: Bibliographic Index

"... an epitome of Christianity, a learned and mysterious abridgement of all the doctrines of the Gospel, all the institutions of the Fathers, and all the counsels of perfection" (Jacques-Bénigne Lignel Bossuet, 1627-1704, Bishop of Meaux).

• Today's reading of the Rule (Even chapters for women; odd for men. Doyle 1948; adapt. 1995).
• The Rule in English arranged by chapter titles.
• The Rule in English arranged for daily reading.
• Select a passage of the Rule by date(s).
  
  

• The Rule of Our Most Holy Father St. Benedict, Patriarch of Monks, from the Old English Edition of 1638. Edited in Latin and English. (London: Washbourne, 1875). PDF version.
• The Rule of St. Benedict by chapters (Boniface Verheyen OSB, Atchison, 1949) or in various formats at CCEL.
• The Rule of St. Benedict (CCEL; London, 1898). Appended to the Life of St. Benedict.

• Daily Reading with comments by Benedictine Sister of Erie, Joan Chittister OSB
• Holy Rule Daily Meditation, a Yahoo! Group: meditations by Bro. Jerome Leo OSB, St. Mary's Monastery, Petersham, MA.
• Study the Rule of St. Benedict (Prol.- Chap. 73) with commentary by Abbot Phillip Lawrence OSB of Christ in the Desert Abbey.
• Early Feminine Versions of the Rule. Ed. by Frank Henderson et al. (American Benedictine Academy).

• Comprehensive Index to the Rule of St. Benedict. Keyed to RB 1980 (Lit Press, 1981) by Br. Steven Olderr OSB. Available in two formats: PDF (online; 601 KB) or MS .docx (download for MS Word; 125 KB).

Bibliographic and Learning Resources (click for S. Aquinata's extensive bibliography, etc.)

English translations, commentaries, and study aids

Benedict's Rule: A Translation and Commentary by Terrence G. Kardong, O.S.B. is the first line-by-line exegesis of the entire Rule of Benedict written originally in English. This full commentary -- predominately a literary and historical criticism -- is based on and includes a Latin text of Regula Benedicti. Liturgical Press. Hardcover, 664 pp., 6 x 9, ISBN 0-8146-2325-5, $64.95.

A Critical Study of the Rule of Benedict, the work of Dom Adalbert de Vogüé OSB, serves as the basis for all serious study of the Rule of Benedict. This series is an essential resource for every monastery, abbey, or group that finds in the Rule of St. Benedict a source of inspiration. Volume 3: Liturgy, Sleeping Arrangements, and the Penal Code (RB 8-20, 22-30, 42-46) by Adalbert de Vogüé; Translated by Sister Colleen Maura McGrane OSB, 2019.  Three-vol. set.

RB 1980 in Latin and English with Notes is a modern, scholarly translation ed. by Timothy Fry, OSB (Liturgical Press, 1981), 672 p., $39.95. The translation by itself is also available in paperback, $2.95.

The Rule of Benedict: An Invitation to the Christian Life by Georg Holzherr, OSB; Translated by Mark Thamert, OSB. In this new translation, based on the completely revised seventh edition of Die Benediktsregel, Holzherr has created a profoundly rich commentary using up-to-date research methods and the latest translations of ancient monastic texts. This edition also features a completely revised and expanded introduction and commentary. New research in the field of early monasticism is offered, including new insights into the monastic life of women. Finally, the updated bibliography and a detailed index are valuable tools for anyone wanting to explore the extraordinary world of Saint Benedict. Liturgical Press, 2016, 658 p. Hardcover/e-Book.

The Rule of Saint Benedict, translated from the Latin by Leonard J. Doyle OblSB with introduction by Rev. David W. Cotter, has been adapted for use at the archived OSB website with the division into sense lines for public reading of the first edition that was republished in 2001 to mark the 75th anniversary of Liturgical Press. Hardcover and paperback editions of Doyle's translation are available.

Benedict Backwards: Reading the Rule in the Twenty-first Century by Terrence G. Kardong, O.S.B. Kardong shows the final chapters of the Rule are primarily about community, and they provide insight into Benedict's vision for his monks. Liturgical Press, 2017, 142p. Paperback and e-Book formats.